The present invention relates to an improvement about a diving mask, and more particularly about the body structure of the diving mask itself.
The diving masks we usually use can be separated into two categories; one has the frame structure and another does not.
FIG. 1 is a mask with full frames has a soft flexible skirt C that is held to the glass lens B by a hard frame A. A soft strap E is held to the frame by two buckles. The buckles D are integrated into the frame.
The advantages of full frame mask include:
1. When you pull or push on the buckle to loosen the strap, the buckle immediately releases.
2. When you pull on the strap end to tighten the strap, the buckle immediately releases.
3. The buckle pulls on the frame which pulls evenly on the skirt against your face. A strap that is too tight is not likely to cause a leak against your face.
4. Good aesthetics because there are more parts to create interesting shapes and color contrasts.
The disadvantages of full frame mask include:
1. Higher profile which reduces visibility and increases the chance that the mask interferes with other objects.
2. Higher volume which increases the amount of buoyancy and the amount of water that must be cleared from a flooded mask.
3. More complex assembly.
FIG. 2 is a mask that is completely frameless has a soft flexible skirt G that is bonded directly to the glass lens F. A soft strap L is held to the frame by two buckles K. The buckles are attached to the sides of the skirt. The advantages of frameless masks include.
1. Lower profile which increases visibility and decreased the chance that the mask interferes with other objects.
2. Lower volume which decreases the amount of buoyancy and the amount of water that must be cleared from a flooded mask.
3. Less complex assembly.
The disadvantages of frameless masks include:
1. When you pull or push on the buckle to loosen the strap, the buckle does not immediately release because the silicone skirt flexes.
2. When you pull on the strap end to tighten the strap, the buckle does not immediately release because the silicone skirt flexes.
3. The buckle pulls on the skirt which pulls less evenly against your face. A strap that is too tight is more likely to cause a leak against your face.
4. Poor aesthetics because there are too few parts to create interesting shapes and color contrasts. This is all prior art frameless masks on the market closely resemble each other.
The new Semi-frameless mask offers all of the advantages of masks with full frames plus all of the advantages of frameless masks with none of the disadvantages of either. Semi-frameless masks have a soft flexible skirt that is bonded to the glass lens. A soft strap is held to the frame by two buckles. Each buckle is integrated into a semi-frame. Each semi-frame is attached to the sides of the skirt ideally, each semi-frame is attached to the skirt over a much wider distance than conventional frameless buckles and also attached so that the semi-frame is partially supported by the glass lens. The advantages of the new Semi-frameless mask include:
1. When you pull or push on the buckle to loosen the strap, the buckle immediately releases.
2. When you pull on the strap end to tighten the strap, the buckle immediately releases.
3. The buckle pulls on the frame which pulls evenly on the skirt against your face. A strap that is too tight is not likely to cause a leak against your face.
4. Good aesthetics because there are more parts to create interesting shapes and color contrasts.
5. Lower profile which increases visibility and decreases the chance that the mask interferes with other objects.
6. Lower volume which decreases the amount of buoyancy and the amount of water that must be cleared from a flooded mask.
7. Less complex assembly There are the same numbers of total parts as a standard frameless mask.
The present invention is to provide a semi-frameless structure of the diving masks.
The buckles of the present invention are implemented very close to the glass lens and the soft flexible skirt.
The buckles are attached to the soft flexible skirt by a longer distance.
The buckles are attached to the lens by a greater area.
The structure of the present invention can be a twin lenses structure.